Report: Shortstop Spends Countless Hours Looking For Shortstop Base

Rookie shortstop Cal Vega of the Everett (WA) Aquasox has spent significant time this season searching for what he calls the “shortstop base.” Vega, who began playing late in high school and enjoyed a meteoric rise to the minors, said it occurred to him during a spring training game that while every other infielder has a base, he has no base. 

“It just seems unfair. My first baseman, he has a base. My second baseman has a similar base. And then my catcher has a DIFFERENT kind of base,” said the 23-year-old from New Lenox, Ill. “I’m out here, I’m hot, I’m lost. I just stand between second and third because coach said so.”

“He spends hours,” said Sox’ manager Skeeter Maguire, 43, “looking for what we all know isn’t there. The other day in Amarillo I told him it was under the dirt and that was why the Poodles’ shortstop kept digging with his cleat. The next inning, he made a mess of the field.” 

“My centerfielder says he waters his base every practice,” continued Vega. “My leftfielder says he has TWO bases.” 

According to Maguire, Vega sometimes stands in the batter’s box just gazing out at the field. “Meanwhile, three strikes have gone by. He just walks back to the dugout squinting his eyes.” 

Added Maguire, “He’s never gonna find that base.” 

One afternoon on the bus to Modesto, Vega seemed to find an answer in the team copy of Who Was Jackie Robinson? “Oh, that’s why I don’t have a base,” he said. “Someone stole it!”